Today BMW North America made three announcements in New York City to contribute to furthering sustainable mobility and recognizing the important role New York City plays as a proving ground in this area. These announcements include the significant renovation of two structures for BMW and MINI of Manhattan dealerships; the US introduction of the new BMW ActiveE full-electric vehicle; and the return of powerful, efficient and clean 4-cylinder BMW engines to the United States after a more than 10 year absence.

The dealership renovations deepen the company’s commitment to the future of mobility in one of the world’s most heavily populated urban centers. BMW of Manhattan will remain at 555 W. 57th Street and will continue to sell and service BMW automobiles and sport activity vehicles, BMW Motorcycles, and is intended to be a BMW i Center when the company begins to introduce the first two vehicles of this new brand in 2013, the i3 and i8. The creation of a standalone MINI of Manhattan dealership and a BMW Certified Pre-Owned sales center in the Chapman Building at 11th Avenue and 56th Street will begin at the same time. Construction of BMW of Manhattan is expected to be completed by the end of 2012 and MINI of Manhattan will be completed by the end of 2011.

“New York is an important market for BMW, and as America’s foremost megacity, it’s a great incubator to develop vehicles, facilities and services for a sustainable mobility future,” said Peter Miles Executive Vice President Operations BMW NA. “This renovation and new construction represents more than just a fiscal investment and also underscores the BMW Group’s commitment in America and in New York City.”

These announcements come only two weeks after the company announced BMW i Ventures, another pillar in its commitment to urban mobility and another commitment to New York City as a center of mobility technology and innovation.

BMW i Ventures will focus on premium mobility services – meaning that it will also look for solutions that are not exclusively related to automobiles. The fund’s first investment was in MyCityWay, a set of location-based apps for urban navigation that provides users with information on public transportation, parking availability and local entertainment.

When work begins to completely renovate the BMW of Manhattan dealership and establish an all new MINI facility and center for BMW Certified Pre-Owned vehicles on 11th Avenue at 56th Street, it will highlight another investment in New York City.

Upon completion, both facilities will be truly sustainable major urban center dealerships. They will be LEED Certified in keeping with BMW’s commitment to sustainability in all of its activities. Specific design elements will include:

Specially-designed louvers on the exterior of the building to reduce heat loads while maximizing daylight
Installation of solar panels on the roof of the MINI building
High efficiency fluorescent, metal halide and LED light fixtures
New high-efficiency mechanical equipment including heat exchangers to capture heat from exhaust air
Low-flow plumbing fixtures
Regionally sourced materials that have a substantial recycled material content
Implementation of waste recycling practices during and after construction

Both buildings will feature a full complement of electric vehicle charging stations and be capable of handling all customer and service needs of alternative powered vehicles, including hybrids and full-electric vehicles. All service reception and vehicle flow through the buildings will be optimized to minimize the number of times a car must be moved between arrival and delivery.

With the consolidation of MINI sales and service under one roof, the brand will now have a very visible presence on 11th Avenue. The exterior will feature MINI’s recognizable rectangular grid architectural style and announce the brand’s presence with the use of colorful frames and MINI logo on a black background.

The BMW ActiveE, the first full-electric BMW available to customers, was unveiled today in advance of the New York International Auto Show, where it will make its North American debut. This is another significant step in the BMW Group’s commitment to be a sustainable leader in automotive products and services. Based on the 1 Series Coupe, the BMW ActiveE will accelerate from 0-60 mph in under nine seconds, making it the first electric vehicle to combine the dynamic characteristics typical of a BMW with the zero-emissions benefits of driving an electric vehicle. It will incorporate specially-designed lithium ion batteries which are being used for the first time and that allow for a range of around 100 miles in everyday driving. The batteries will feature liquid heating and cooling, as well as the ability to pre-condition the system while connected to the grid enabling maximum range capability regardless of ambient conditions.

Seven hundred BMW ActiveE vehicles will be coming to the U.S. beginning this fall in metropolitan New York and other select US metropolitan markets. A 24-month lease will be offered for $499 per month with a down payment of $2,250. The reservation process will begin in late summer 2011.

“The BMW ActiveE is part of our ongoing strategy to develop environmentally friendly, yet high-performance vehicles,” said Rich Steinberg, manager of Electric Vehicle Operations and Strategy, BMW NA. “It brings us another step closer to the realization of the BMW i3, which we will launch in 2013.”

In order to help consumers determine if an ActiveE is right for them, the new app, BMW Evolve is now available for download from the Apple iTunes Store and later this month in the Android Marketplace. It was developed with the input of our MINI E drivers and will help drivers track their daily driving habits, regardless of their current car in order to determine if a full-electric vehicle like the BMW ActiveE will fit their lifestyle. More information is available at www.BMWActivatetheFuture.com.

The new BMW Z4 sDrive28i Roadster will be the first model in the U.S. to feature the company’s new powerful, efficient and clean TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder engine. It also marks the return of BMW 4 cylinder power to the United States for the first time in over a decade.

This newest engine, another part of the company’s on-going development of BMW EfficientDynamics, is the latest to combine twin-scroll turbocharging technology with high-precision direct injection and BMW’s Valvetronic throttle-less control system. Taken together, these technologies improve performance while at the same time reducing emissions and lowering consumption.

With 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, this new engine offers similar power to the normally aspirated 3.0-liter inline six currently offered in the Z4 Roadster and more torque.. Maximum output of 240 horsepower is achieved at 5,000 rpm, 1,500 rpm lower than in the normally-aspirated 3.0-liter inline six. The peak torque of 260 lb-ft comes on stream at just 1,250 rpm. Not only is that nearly 20 percent more torque than the aforementioned inline six, it also peaks 1,500 rpm earlier. The new BMW Z4 sDrive28i will arrive in US showrooms this fall.